


remember me

by orphan_account



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Trans Character, being outted, fjord will do ANYTHING for caleb, i dont even know, idk - Freeform, its like three am and i just needed to write this so i can sleep, you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 16:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17104274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: how the mighty nein find out Caleb is trans.





	remember me

“ _ Well, I’ll be damned _ !” A deep Zemnian voice calls from about twenty feet in front of them- cutting through the loud market air seemingly without any problem. 

 

The Mighty Nein were currently spending a day out. Wandering through a small trading center they had happened to pass on their way to Rexxentrum. They were still about a weeks journey away from the city, and stocking up for supplies was never an opportunity to turn down. So far not many actual supplies had been found but Jester had new pencils for her sketchbook and Yasha had two new flowers to press. And of course, of  _ course _ \- Caleb had managed to find a book. 

 

Fjord, Caudecus, Yasha and Beau were all following closely to their “tour guides”- Caleb trailing behind his nose already in his book- occasionally being tugged along by Fjord or Beau. 

 

Jester and Nott were leading the way through the various tents and shacks. (Despite neither of them having ever been there). Jester was walking backwards- spinning around at the voice calling out clearly at them. All of the group stopped behind her form- coming to a stand still in the middle of the road.

 

“Sorry, do we know you?” Beau asks, coming to step behind Jester. When the man doesn’t even pay her any mind, Beau shifts slightly- clearly expecting a confrontation.

 

“Beth! Bethany Widogast- I’d recognize you anywhere!” The man calls out again- this time  _ past _ the main group; moving slightly closer towards the natural part in their group and at the mention of their wizards surname- the rest of the Mighty Nein turn to where the tired redhead had been trailing.

 

Caleb had stopped the second the group had, and the moment the man called out again- he had quickly ripped his head away from his book. Heart pounding in his chest, clutching the edges of the green tome with a death grip.

 

“S-Sean.” Caleb nods, moving through his easily parting friends- all of their mouths open in confusion, “It is… Uh, unexpected to see you here.”

 

‘ _ Sean’ _ laughs and throws an arm around Caleb, “Your voice is so deep now!”

 

Caleb nods shortly, “ _ Ja. _ Still in my phase I suppose.”

 

“Well tell me what brought you here! You headin’ home?” Sean asks, arm still wrapped around Caleb- and gesturing with his free hand towards the group of still wide eyed and confused individuals. 

 

“Ah. These are my friends. And  _ nein _ we are not heading that way, sadly.” Caleb says, starting to twist his hands tightly- starting to rub away scabs from a previous fight. Yasha is the first to move closer, only a half step- but enough for Sean to really  _ notice _ her presence. And she smirks when Sean clearly takes a small step back instinctually. 

 

“Yes we’re on our way to… To… Hupperdook!” Jester calls, smiling wide and stepping closer- keeping a close eye on Caleb.

 

“And we really must be leavin’ soon.” Fjord adds almost moving closer- but coming to rest right besides Caleb. It doesn’t take long for the hardening stare from the half-orc to get Sean to finally drop his arm from Caleb’s shoulders.

 

Sean coughs lightly, before turning back to Caleb with a wide smile. Eyes flickering down quickly when Fjord wraps an arm easily around Caleb’s waist- but it doesn’t last long. 

 

Sean’s smile tightens when he sees Caleb staring at the ground instead of him- but carries on anyways.

 

“Well. It was nice to see ya’, Beth. If you’re ever in town, come stop by.” 

 

All of them stand quietly for a moment, waiting until Sean’s blue tunic is out of sight before erupting in chaos.

 

Jester, Nott, and Beau all launching into a million questions instantly- only stopping when Fjord moves himself in front of Caleb. Staring them down with a firm look which is only comparable to a parent needing their child to settle down in public.

 

“Not here. Not now.” Is all he says before turning around and re-sliding his arm to Caleb’s waist and heading back towards the cart, calling out over his shoulder,

 

“Finish your shoppin’. Come find us in a bit.”

 

It’s only once Fjord’s back is no longer visible that Beau speaks,

 

“ _ What the fuck?” _

 

\--

 

Caleb is asleep when they all make it back to the cart- an hour later. Fjord, half awake, and leaning against the interior of the cart wall, half on the wall itself and half on the pile of bed rolls. 

 

“Oh.” Is all Jester says when she fully rounds the cart and sees the  _ full _ picture.

 

Caleb isn’t one for touch- not even with Fjord really. She had seen them hold hands maybe  _ three _ times- and two of those were Fjord leading Caleb through a crowd. But Caleb is quite literally curled up  _ on top _ of Fjord. Head resting on the taller man’s chest, moving ever so slightly with Fjords breathing.

 

“First things first-” Fjord says, pulling himself up slightly more up straight. His gaze is set- stern and deadly. He spends a moment flickering over all of his friends faces before speaking again,

 

“If  _ any _ of you ever call him that name- being left behind is the least of your worries.” The threat is heavy and once everyone acknowledges it- the glare drops from Fjords face and he sighs.

 

“Caleb said it was alright if I explained. Honestly, he never wanted to even have this conversation- so I know you want to ask a million questions, but please- just let me handle this. I will try to answer any questions you may have.” Fjord is  _ tired _ , that much is clear. Somehow in the last hour he’s aged five years. And no one misses that as he’s speaking he’s slowly wrapping his arm more securely around Caleb- rubbing one hand up and down slowly over the sleeping man’s calf.

 

“Kay.” Beau speaks with a deadpan look, “First question- the fuck just happened?”

 

Fjord shifts again, this time more out of awkwardness it seems- rather than necessity. He clears his throat and gestures to the empty cart.

 

“This is kinda gonna take a moment.” 

 

And once ever is situated, Fjord takes another deep breath and begins again,

 

“Caleb wasn’t born to the name Caleb.”

 

“Ahh.” Caduceus quietly says, nodding slowly, “This makes more sense now.”

 

Fjord chuckles lowly and blows a breath out through his mouth- making his cheeks expand,

 

“Caleb was… Uh… Born a girl. I guess. He said he always  _ knew _ he was Caleb, but growin up his name was Bethany.” 

 

Fjord pauses there to allow everyone a moment to process, and after a few beats he continues on,

 

“He, uh, came out- to his folks when he was sixteen- about to leave for the Academy. He’s been Caleb ever since.”

 

“So. He’s… But wait we’ve seen each other naked.” Nott works out aloud, shifting as she gestures from her spot in Jesters lap.

 

Fjord laughs lowly- brushing a hand through Caleb’s curls, “You forget how smart he is. He cast disguise self every time.”

 

“Why didn’t he want us to know?” Beau asks, voice quieter than expected- the harshness also gone. Fjord knows Beau well enough to translate what she’s trying to actually ask,

 

‘ _ Does he not trust us?’ _

 

“It’s… He said that this was the first time he was only known as Caleb. Before people would stumble- call him the wrong name, wrong gender you know. But now there were no questions, no missteps. He just wanted to enjoy that.” Fjord keeps running his hand through Caleb's hair slowly.

 

Beau nods and leans back- seemingly at ease again. No one speaks for a long while, and surprisingly Yasha breaks the silence,

 

“Well if anyone ever calls him that again, we break their legs first.” 

 

No one disagrees. 

**Author's Note:**

> this came to me while laying in bed trying to sleep so like. yea its garbage but like
> 
> garbage from a craft shop- still garbage but like. its redeemable bc it's not garbage from a manure store
> 
> what the absolute fuck am i even talking about anymore


End file.
